Page 100 of Not his Marchioness
“Well, under the circumstances, Evelyn believed my father. She and Nathaniel almost parted ways, when he had been innocent. Now, here I am, also married, also deep in love, about to part ways with my husband because he attended a certain establishment. Only, in my case, he truly was there. I saw it with my own eyes.”
“Perhaps there is more to it,” Lady Woodhaven said softly. “I am not a naïve woman. I understand what men are like. But I must say, I have seen you with your husband many times, and he seems devoted to you. Genuinely devoted. I cannot imagine him throwing everything away for a night with a lightskirt.”
“But he did. I saw it myself.”
“Perhaps you ought to speak to him. Tell him what you saw. He may have an explanation.”
“No,” Charlotte uttered, setting her teacup down with a clink. “I know what I saw. I cannot look at him. I do not want to look at him.”
Lady Woodhaven patted her hand. “In that case, I suspect it would be best if you went away for a while. Distance may yet bring clarity about what you both want. Is your aunt still in town?”
“She is.” Charlotte nodded. “With my sister. But I do not want to see them. Not like this.”
“Very well. I have a cottage in Brighton. You can stay there. I will write you a note for my housekeeper. She will make sure that you have everything you need. In the meantime, if you wish, I will speak to your?—”
“No. You need not speak to him. If anyone should speak to him, it should be Nathaniel.” Charlotte did not say the last part aloud. “I would rather he did not know you were involved in any way.”
“As you wish. However—” Just as Charlotte had risen, Lady Woodhaven called her back. “Pray, you did not tell me why you decided to follow him. You said that he had been behaving oddly,and that you were led to believe he was seeing a woman at a certain establishment. How were you led to believe this?”
Charlotte turned back to her. “A note. Someone sent me a letter saying that he would be there tonight, and that if I followed, I would see for myself.” She paused, remembering another detail. “It was Lord Emery who first tried to convince me that Rhys was still engaging in debauchery, and I did not believe him. The sender is allegedly a mutual acquaintance.”
“Or perhaps it was Emery himself. He did not take it well to be so… shall we say, unceremoniously dismissed,” Lady Woodhaven pointed out. “I would not put it past him to have engineered something.”
“Engineered that Rhys would be exactly where the letter said he would be at that very hour? I have thought of this. And yes, it is likely that it was Emery who sent it, or had somebody else send it. But in any case, it does not matter. He may derive joy from knowing that he has caused me great pain. But it does not change the fact that Rhys was there. With a woman. I saw him. And he lied to me.”
Lady Woodhaven nodded. “Very well. Then it must be as it must be. Pack your belongings. Go to my cottage. Wait a few days—a few weeks if you must. And perhaps you will figure out what you must do in the future.”
“What of the school?” Charlotte asked suddenly, for she had not thought of this until now.
“Do not fret. I will continue the work we have started. Once I have found suitable teachers, I would like you to come to London to help me speak to them. But an interview can be conducted through letters as well.”
Another thought came to her. “If Rhys and I are no longer—that is?—”
“Society need not know. You just told me that it was always the plan—for you to part ways, with nobody the wiser. It is true. No one needs to know. There are a great many couples who are together only for pretense. Now, go. Clear your mind and your heart.”
When Lady Woodhaven had left, Charlotte summoned the coachman. However, as she was about to board the carriage, she realized something. She did not want Rhys to know where she was going. He might follow her, and the coachman was bound to tell him the truth.
No, she would make her own way there.
“Take me to Hyde Park Corner,” she ordered.
She would hire a coach there and make her way to Brighton.
CHAPTER 40
Rhys returned home and dashed up the front steps.
“Charlotte! Charlotte, are you here?” he called.
There was no answer.
He rushed into the drawing room but found no sign of her. Neither was she anywhere else downstairs. Even the conservatory was empty.
“Charlotte!” he called again, rushing up the stairs.
The butler, who had attempted to stop him at the door, finally caught up to him, panting.
“My Lord,” he said, “Lady Ravenscar has gone.”
